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  • Perspective: Yemen – Saudi Arabia preparing to exit costly war?

    Over the past decade, Yemen has been divided into three parts: a Houthi-controlled region in the north, the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council in the south and the government-controlled rest of the country, backed by the Saudi coalition.

  • The minilateral moment in the Middle East: An opportunity for US regional policy?

    In a new Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative issue brief, “The Minilateral Moment in the Middle East: An Opportunity for US Regional Policy,” the Atlantic Council’s nonresident senior fellow Jean-Loup Samaan analyzes how regional powers are reconsidering the multilateral balance of their foreign policy arrangements, and the emerging implications for US Middle East policy.

  • Has Wagner’s mutiny weakened Russia in the Middle East?

    “Middle Eastern governments and societies must now acknowledge the possibility that Putin is not as strong as they once thought (or just hoped), and that he may not be in a position to help them all that much,” Dr Mark Katz, a professor at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, told TNA.

  • Has Wagner’s mutiny weakened Russia in the Middle East?

    “Middle Eastern governments and societies must now acknowledge the possibility that Putin is not as strong as they once thought (or just hoped), and that he may not be in a position to help them all that much,” Dr Mark Katz, a professor at George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, told TNA.

  • Saudi Arabia: Where do the 100 million Jamarat pebbles go after Hajj rituals?

    Once the ritual is completed, the pebbles, which are thrown at the three pillars, fall vertically downwards and settle in the basement of the Jamarat facility, which has a depth of up to 15 meters. A series of conveyor belts are then employed to collect the pebbles. These pebbles undergo a sieving process during which they are sprayed with water to remove any dust and dirt.

  • Saudi Arabia: Where do the 100 million Jamarat pebbles go after Hajj rituals?

    Once the ritual is completed, the pebbles, which are thrown at the three pillars, fall vertically downwards and settle in the basement of the Jamarat facility, which has a depth of up to 15 meters. A series of conveyor belts are then employed to collect the pebbles. These pebbles undergo a sieving process during which they are sprayed with water to remove any dust and dirt.

  • Are There Any Public Holidays Left for Saudi Residents in 2023?

    On the eve of Eid Al Adha 2023, the residents of Saudi Arabia took their longest holiday. The first long holiday of the year was observed in April in celebration of Eid al-Fitr. On September 23rd, in honor of Saudi National Day, all residents of Saudi Arabia will enjoy a public holiday. The Saudi National Day holiday this year falls on a Saturday.

  • Could the IRGC pull a Wagner Group move in Iran? That’s what some Iranians are hoping for

    Upon news of the Prigozhin-led rebellion, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Telegram channels quickly covered the breaking story. One viral screenshot of the IRGC’s main channel reposted a tweet by a pro-regime journalist emphasizing, “If necessary, just as we prevented the fall of [Bashar al-]Assad, we will prevent the fall of #Putin.”

  • Tourism: Does it matter if Mount Sinai is in Saudi Arabia?

    Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai before the wandering Israelites entered the promised land of Israel after fleeing Egypt, according to the Bible. So one might assume that said mountain is in Sinai, the peninsula between Egypt and Israel. In fact, most people do. But some evangelicals think otherwise — they think the holy site is in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia only opened to mainstream tourists in 2019, before which most visitors were there for the Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. No one expected a boom of Christians — perhaps because no one really thought Saudi Arabia contained any biblical holy sites. Most biblical scholars agree that Mount Sinai is in the Sinai Peninsula, though there is disagreement as to exactly which peak it might be.

  • Perspective: Is Middle Eastern Stability on the Horizon Thanks to U.S.-China Competition?

    One theme of the present moment is that countries in the Middle East are making deals based on their own national interests rather than dancing to the tune of outsiders. This independence is paradoxically because of great power rivalry in the region, not despite it. With heightened rivalry between great powers, regional powers have more options and are acting more as free agents than committed allies of global powers.